ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon admits to defrauding investors of more than $830,000 and illegally acquiring dozens of guns with the help of a woman in the St. Louis area.
According to prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, the suspect, Dennis Latour, 41, admitted to creating a scheme in June 2022 that defrauded two investors for over $830,000 as a part of a plea agreement.
Prosecutors say that Latour made false claims to the two victims that he made successful investments in the cannabis industry and that they could join in by “piggybacking” on his investments.
According to prosecutors, Latour received money from the investors and instead used the money from the victims to fund his personal lifestyles by purchasing items including firearms, vehicles, and jetskis. Officials say one victim lost a total of $718,271 and the other lost $112,340.
Prosecutors say Latour was also involved in a scheme involving a woman that helped him purchase multiple firearms, despite him being a convicted felon who is barred from having one in his possession.
Prosecutors say Latour received assistance from Jennifer Keegan, 50, in purchasing multiple firearms after a submitted application was rejected due to concerns about his criminal history.
According to prosecutors, Keegan admitted to purchasing multiple firearms for Latour beginning in Feb. 2023. On March 1, 2023, prosecutors say Keegan and Latour purchased a Barrett rifle and another rifle from a retailer in St. Charles. Three days later, Keegan purchased another two rifles from a sporting goods store in St. Charles.
Prosecutors say on March 21, 2023, Keegan purchased five additional firearms from a sporting goods store in Springfield, Missouri. The next day, she returned to the same store and bought a pistol.
On April 4, 2023, prosecutors say Keegan went to pick up a rifle and two pistols from a gun store in Pevely after purchasing them online. According to prosecutors, Latour was with Keegan when she went to pick up the firearms and was in possession of a pistol. Fifteen days later, the duo returned and purchased a shotgun.
According to prosecutors, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a court-approved search of a Des Peres home the couple shared, in which they found 27 firearms in a “vault” room and an additional two pistols in the couple’s bedroom.
Latour pleaded guilty on Nov. 20 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to purchase one or more firearms for a convicted felon, and 13 counts of wire fraud.
Latour faces a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine each for the felon in possession charge and conspiracy charge. Latour faces an additional sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both for the wire fraud charges.
Keegan pleaded Monday to one count of conspiracy to purchase one or more firearms for a convicted felon.
Latour is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2025. Keegan is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11.